Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Of Course Bush Is Responsible. Now, How About Some Action?

By MARC MCDONALD

The biggest non-news story this week involves Bush saying that he takes "responsibility" for failures in dealing with Hurricane Katrina.

There's only one problem. Bush is supposed to be president of the United States. Of course, he's responsible for the disastrous federal response. Responsibility is supposed to come with the job. Bush has simply never conceded this point before on anything else--from the disastrous Iraq war to 9/11 to the exploding federal deficit.

It's a bit of a media novelty now that Bush is claiming responsibility for a change---but one thing that should not be overlooked is the fact that Bush had already full responsibility, whether or not he admitted it.

This latest development is nothing more than yet another cynical ploy on Karl Rove's part. It would be significant only if it were accompanied by some sort of concrete action. But of course, it won't be.

In many nations around the world (Japan, for example), a leader would have stepped down in the aftermath of a Katrina-like fiasco. Of course, we cannot expect that of Bush. But it would be nice if Bush would follow up his PR ploy with some real action for a change.

Millions of disillusioned Americans are asking why it is that companies with ties to the Bush White House are grabbing some of the administration's first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts.

Since Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast, shares of Halliburton have climbed 10 percent. Fresh from raking in billions of dollars in non-competitive contracts in Iraq, Halliburton is expected rake in billions in Katrina's aftermath. As Britain's Observer newspaper pointed out, "...Halliburton has shone in the markets partly because it is expected to do well out of the catastrophe."

In short, Bush may think he's being a bold leader by taking "responsibility" for a change. But the thing he's never realized is that responsibility is supposed to come with the job of president. And responsibility is something that he's always shirked.

In the end, nothing will change. In fact, I'd bet money that, come next August, Bush will again be luxuriating in yet another European-style 5-week vacation, oblivious to the worries and concerns of ordinary working Americans.

7 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I'm not so sure things will work for Bush, as they have in the past. We have Fitzgeralds report and possibleWhite House indictments. Bush will find it more difficult for him to pardon any indicted WH members if he has lost support. Also civil war could well erupt inIraq.

I wish I shared your optimism! But how many times have we seen Americans wake to the alarm only to hit the snooze button and go back to sleep? I hope you're right, but I begin to despair...We have to do our part, by keeping the fire burning. Keep forwarding those articles and photos while the sleepy silent majority are incensed.

I was struck by the body Language of Bush. Usually, he looks right into the camera or audience with that cheerleader grin. Note how hetalked off to the side when he"took responsibility". He actedlike he was in pain. What an act.

Accepting "responsibility" is notacknowledging his mistakes whichcertainly makes the "President"complicit in the deaths of many people.

Action on Bushes behalf would be animmediate resignation and acceptingresponsibility for his personal inaction resulting in hundreds of deaths by not providing militaryhelocopter medevac assets locatednearby in Georgia,Texas, and Tennessee....!!

Bush can't touch the resonse unit because of how it was set up. Now on federal and state issues.....for them to be evacuated and such is state issue. The president had been at the hospital.hes main artery in his leg was bad....he could have died form a clog. But go ahead have no shame and keep sitting there and dont help or support anything. You keep talking while you sit on your ass. Do you want to pay the expence of the helicopters to fly everyone? Not to mention the time it would take to get them there if they have any militry helicopters available(thanks to clinton for cut on such things). Man do any of you know anything on our laws...our president is alot more restricted to doing things involving locally, the local government was giving that job a long long ong long time ago.

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About This Blog

Welcome to BeggarsCanBeChoosers.com, the progressive political blog of Marc McDonald. A Texas journalist, McDonald worked for 15 years for several newspapers, including the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, before he quit his day job and set up shop in cyberspace in 1995. McDonald's articles have appeared in a number of popular progressive Web sites, including Crooks and Liars, The Reaction, Buzzflash.com, Salon.com, OpEdNews.com, The Neil Rogers Show and The Raw Story. McDonald's Web articles have also been featured and reviewed by various national and international media, including CNN Headline News, the BBC, CBS, the Washington Post, USA Today and many more. On June 3, 2011, I was interviewed on the progressive radio program, "Voices at Work." Go here to hear my interview with host Ron Gonyea. I am always available for media interviews on progressive issues. Contact me here.